Would it be too much to call 9/11 the defining event of the early 21st century?

Perhaps, in that other events of the last decade, like the “Great Recession” of 2008, or the election of Barack Obama – and Donald Trump – can be seen as coming from movements and forces in play long before that September morning.

I began work on what would become The 9/11 Project shortly after the attacks first as a way of dealing with my feelings of shock and grief. From over a hundred songs that would come over the next ten years I selected thirty-three to at first become a three-part album; but the songs suggested a story – or more accurately, a story of stories, stories of ordinary Americans living and fighting in that roller-coaster of a decade – that would become a three-act musical play, and now this latest iteration. As always, my “mission” with this Project is to inspire Americans to spare some thought, to care what those who go to war go through on their behalf, beyond the usual patriotism and platitudes.

In this latest edition I cut the songs to three but kept all the emotional impact. It’s meant to be easier for school, college, smaller professional and amateur groups to produce. Later this year I want to offer a compete soundtrack for the 9/11 Project.

My current goal is to reach out to theater groups across the country, looking to find some that would help me finally bring this story to the stage. The 9/11 Project is currently for sale here and on Amazon; but if you’re with a legitimate theater group, please contact me for more information.

NOTE: The 9/11 Project script does not come with either production or photocopy rights. For those, you will need to contact me.

There’s been so much happening in the world today—the terrorist attacks on Turkey and Iraq, the death of Nobel-winning author Elie Wiesel—but hey, it’s Independence Day! And I want to write about good stuff today. So this week I’m writing about fireworks shows—or the music you’re likely to hear at these shows.

If you’re composing a short list of America’s most influential artists of any kind, John Phillips Sousa has to be near the top. He was the greatest leader the U.S. Marine Corps Band had ever had, and a prolific composer, creating over 400 musical works of various types, including seven operettas (short operas). Most people, though, know him for his marching music—137 of his works were marches, two becoming the official songs of the Army (adapted from “U.S. Field Artillery”) and the Marine Corps–“Semper Fidelis.”

In 1987—55 years after Sousa’s death—Congress passed a law making Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” the Official March of the United States.

The “1812 Overture” is another interesting story. Ever see the movie V for Vendetta? The music V plays as he Blows Stuff Up? That’s the “1812 Overture”.

The thing about the Overture? It wasn’t composed by an American. It wasn’t inspired by any event in American history, let alone the War of 1812. It wasn’t even composed in 1812. It had nothing to do with America or American history—and America fell in love with it anyway.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a contemporary of Sousa, but that’s about all they had in common. Tchaikovsky composed the 1812 Overture in 1880 to celebrate his own nation’s—Russia’s—fight against the French Grande Armee as Napoleon tried to conquer Russia. More specifically, it was inspired by the Battle of Borodino; a heroic last stand against Napoleon’s forces—which the Russians lost!

But while Napoleon won this battle, he would lose the war. The French took massive casualties that day—too massive. The French had used up most of their supplies and had stretched their supply lines beyond their limit. The retreating Russians made sure to leave nothing behind the French could use, even burning down parts of Moscow. And winter was coming. It is not for nothing Russians credit so many military victories to “General Mud” and “Field Marshall Winter.”

In the end Napoleon was forced to retreat—in winter, ravaged by typhus, and harrassed all the way by Cossacks. By the time they got back to Poland, Napoleon’s Grande Armee had been reduced to a tenth of its pre-Invasion numbers. This was the beginning of the end for Napoleon; though they lost battle after battle, the Russians proved Napoleon was not invincible. In time, Napoleon’s “allies” would turn on him, and destroy his empire.

The 9/11 ProjectThe 9/11 ProjectWhen America called for heroes, they answered. The story of “everyday heroes” who enlisted to serve in the War on Terror and the ones back home - a history of the first decade of the 21st century as seen through their eyes. ON SALE NOW.

Black on BlackTheft, deceit and murder—all in the name of God. When a church youth counselor in a South Side neighborhood tries to protect her “children” from gang violence, she finds herself in a life-and-death conflict with evil. NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!